AUKUS: USS Colorado Announced as First Submarine for SRF – West - Naval News
USS Colorado has been identified as the first US Navy submarine to be assigned to Submarine Rotational Force – West, the rotational presence of American and British boats at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia from 2027. Naming a specific hull moves SRF-West from agreement to execution, and places the onus on Australia to deliver the infrastructure, maintenance workforce and nuclear-stewardship arrangements at Henderson and Stirling on schedule. It also deepens the practical US submarine presence in the Indian Ocean approaches well before any Virginia-class transfer to Australia.
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